CREST HAVEN – Teagan Emmer has been honored by the Cape May County commissioners for being named the 2024 Mid-Atlantic Region Under 14 Irish Dancing Champion.
Emmer, of Court House, was named champion Nov. 30 at the Mid-Atlantic Region Oireachtas (pronounced O-rock-tas) held in Philadelphia. As such she qualified to compete at the Irish Dancing World Championships, considered the Olympics of Irish dance, in Dublin in April.
Only 1% of all dancers qualify for the World Championships. Emmer will compete with the top dancers in her age group from around the world.
This is her fourth time qualifying for the World Championships. She has competed internationally in Belfast, Northern Ireland; Glasgow, Scotland, Montreal and London.
Last month she competed at the prestigious All Ireland Championships in Killarney, Ireland, the oldest major Irish dance competition in the world. In July she will compete at the North American Championships in Washington, D.C.
Emmer’s mother is from Belfast, and Teagan started Irish dancing when she was 6. She now dances for the DeNogla Academy of Irish Dance, based in Woodcliff Lake and Little Falls, sometimes commuting up to 2.5 hours to class.
Her love of Irish dancing motivates her to practice seven days a week; she has devoted countless hours and traveled extensively for love of dance. In addition to competing, she performs for her community at retirement homes and veterans centers, as well as at numerous events throughout the year.
Emmer’s dream is to win a world title and to perform with the cast of RiverDance.
Contact the reporter, Christopher South, at csouth@cmcherald.com or 609-886-8600, ext. 128.
